Clamps of the most varied types equipped with one or more so-called "Oetiker" ears have been sold with immense success worldwide for more than thirty years. These clamps are either of the endless type, made from tubular stock, or are of the open type in which case the overlapping ends are mechanically interconnected. For reasons of economy and ease of installation, one-ear clamps are preferred in normal applications because such one-ear clamps require only the closing of one ear for purposes of tightening the clamp about an object to be fastened. However, clamp structures with two or more ears are also available, for example, for applications where dimensional conditions and/or desired tightening forces make the use of more than one ear preferable.
While the one-ear clamps pose no problems in stationary or quasi-stationary applications, the imbalance resulting therefrom raises some problems with rotating parts, especially parts subjected also to relatively higher rotational speeds. This problem is exacerbated if the clamps are used in applications where they are intended to fasten tubular members to protect the lubricant of bearings, as, for example, in connection with axle boots in front-wheel drive motor vehicles. Furthermore, the problem is aggravated if the used clamps are of the so-called stepless type as disclosed, for example, in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,012 in which a relatively long area of circumferential overlap of the inner and outer band portions exist in the area of the ear which increases the imbalance. However, such stepless clamps are required in applications such as axle boots made from relatively thin hard plastic material, such as "Hytrell" material.